Changing the opioid crisis
No single tactic will end the opioid crisis, which has intensified in the past decade. The strategies here have proved effective for keeping people alive while attacking at least one aspect of the crisis. Some are personal action items, some can be accomplished by organizations, and others require governments to act. And some are unconventional, if not controversial.
Needle/syringe exchanges:
Rapid Response Teams: A first responder, such as police or EMS, joins with health care and social workers to visit victims of overdose within a few days of the event. They ask questions that help victims think about personal behavior and discuss treatment. Cincinnati and Toledo have been creative leaders in this regard, building relationships with people who have overdosed and encouraging them into rehabilitation.
Encouraging action: Ohio has a “Good Samaritan Law” that protects those who call when they see a life-threatening drug overdose, even if the caller might be a participant in drug activity. However, the caller’s protection from prosecution is limited to two incidents. Hamilton County has added a level of prosecution: People who are in a position to call for help but do not will be prosecuted for an overdose death.
Recovery coaching: The Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services offers coach training for people who want to work with a person with addictions. Recovery coaches encourage victims to write a recovery plan, and they then support the person through the plan. Coaches can be jail workers, law enforcement officials, social workers or volunteers.
Free overdose-revival kit: Ohio has distributed more than 53,000 naloxone kits through its Project Dawn: Deaths Avoided with Naloxone. The state provides a comprehensive list of suppliers.
Jail/treatment-center release: People most vulnerable to overdoses are those who have stopped using for a while but return to the same environment in which they used drugs. Some jails have created in-house education and treatment in an effort to steer inmates away from abuse after release.